Horse is a fun game that every basketball player or kid with a backyard hoop can enjoy. Get your best trick shots ready — Horse is a great chance to show them off! You'll need at least two players, but there's no limit to the number of players who can join in.

Steps

to Play Horse (the Basketball Game)

1

Decide on an order of play. You can play Horse with two or more players. Just agree on an order for who plays first, then second, and so on.

If you can't decide, take turns shooting from the same spot. Whoever gets the most baskets in a row goes first, followed by second place, and so on.

to Play Horse (the Basketball Game)

2

Let the first player invent a challenge shot. The first player takes a shot from anywhere on the court — or even outside the bounds! He can add "extra rules" to this shot too, but he has to announce them before shooting. For example, he can say "I'm shooting with my eyes closed" or "I'm shooting behind my back." He gets one try to make the basket.

to Play Horse (the Basketball Game)

3

Give the next player the ball. The second player gets to take the next shot. This part depends on whether the last shot was successful:

If the first player made a basket: the second player has to copy whatever the first player did, including where she or he was standing.

If the first player missed the basket: the second player can shoot from anywhere, using any rules she or he wants to invent.

to Play Horse (the Basketball Game)

4

Keep playing with the same rules. Whenever it's your turn, if the person before you made a basket, you have to copy them. If the person before you missed, it's your turn to invent a new challenge.

After the last player shoots, it's the first player's turn again.

to Play Horse (the Basketball Game)

5

Get a letter when you fail a challenge. If you are trying to copy the person before you and you miss the basket, you get the letter H. Each time you make this mistake, you get a new letter, spelling out H—O—R—S—E. When you spell out the full "HORSE," you lose the game.

You can't get a letter while you are inventing a challenge. If you miss the basket, play just passes to the next player with no penalty.

to Play Horse (the Basketball Game)

6

Invent a new challenge if everyone succeeds. If you invent a challenge, and every other player successfully makes the basket, you get to invent a new challenge.

to Play Horse (the Basketball Game)

7

Play until there's one person left. When someone gets a "HORSE," he leaves the game. The other players keep playing, skipping his turn. Keep playing until there's one winner left in the game.

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No. The game is shooting baskets, if you miss, you get a H, O, R, S, or E. If you have the whole word "HORSE," then you lose. So you would not need to call the person who loses a horse, but feel free to!

In horse, do I get to shoot from another place once the first player makes the basket?

wikiHow Contributor

If the player makes the basket from the position you just made it from, then yes, you can shoot from another position. If the other player is the first one to make the basket, you must also make it from the same spot.

In a group of four, if the second person misses the shot from the inventor, does the third person get to skip trying to make the shot from the inventor and make up a new shot? Or must the third and fourth person must attempt the shot invented by the first person also?

wikiHow Contributor

Look at it this way. Player 1 sets up a challenge if he or she makes his shot. All other players then have to try to replicate that shot, if they fall short they receive a letter.
Player 1: Makes shot
Player 2: Misses shot (letter added)
Player 3: Makes shot
Player 4: Misses shot (letter added).